


Not Ready

by Mony (Mony_Writes)



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Drabble, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:46:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25727653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mony_Writes/pseuds/Mony
Summary: Jack's really leaving for Santa Fe this time. Race isn't ready.------Basically, I had a lot of thoughts about how Race must have felt when Jack announced he was leaving at the end of the musical, and it turned into this fic.
Relationships: Crutchie & Jack Kelly, Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Not Ready

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fic. I posted it over on Tumblr (@wide-eyed--wonderer) and it got a pretty good reception so I thought I'd post it on here!! Comments/ feedback welcomed and appreciated.

“With the strike settled I should be hitting the road”

Race’s heart stopped. 

He was not ready for this. He would never be ready for this. 

He could feel Al’s eyes on him, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at him. Al is his best friend (holy shit was he about to ask him to be his second because he could not do this alone and Jack is leaving and he is not ready) and so, of course, he knows Race, but Jack is his brother. 

Davey had mentioned to him yesterday after Jacks betrayal (and it wasn’t a betrayal, Race knew there was more to the story from the second he had seen Jacks face at the rally) must have really hit all the newsies hard because they’re all brothers. 

And Davey wasn’t wrong. Jacks (not) betrayal did hurt all the newsies. But it was different for Race. (It was different for Crutchie too, but Jack would take Crutchie with him, and in one afternoon, Race would lose both his brothers, but he couldn’t think about that right now.) 

Jack was his brother. And it doesn’t matter how well Al knows Race or how much Race trusts Al, Race needs his big brother. Race could climb up to Jack’s (or is it Race’s now?) penthouse when he had a nightmare and just have Jack sit there and hold him and Race would feel better. 

And yeah, Al would probably go soak anyone who’d dared mess with Race. And any of the (his?) boys would patch him up and cover his board if he couldn’t sell. But there was something different about the way Jacks eyes would fill with pure fury when Race came back bloody. And how he’d personally patch Race up before going out to attack whoever dare hurt his little brother. And how seeing his brother, even when Race was bruised and bloody and could only see out of one eye, would make Race feel better than any cold cloth or Bandage never could. 

And that wasn’t even to mention how Race was gonna lead the Newsies. Sure, he’d kinda been preparing to take over one day. But he’d expected Jack to stay nearby maybe have a little apartment Race could run to when it all got too much 

(and it would get too much, it always gets too much, but normal he has Jack and now it doesn’t and it’s already too much and he’s not ready) 

And the union. Holy shit, was he supposed to lead a union now?? He didn’t know how to lead a union. He barely knows what a union is. 

Sometimes a boy just needs his big brother. 

And Race didn’t know what he’d do without him. Without Jack.

\------------

And then Jack was staying. And Race felt his heart start beating again. Jack gave him a shove on his way to collect papers. Race hit him back. Crutchie gave Race a knowing look and a smile on his way past. (and it hits Race, they won, Crutchie’s back, Jacks staying) 

And if that night Race slept up in Jack’s penthouse, the three brothers, together again, he knew their boys wouldn’t judge.


End file.
